Dajana Eitberger, Wolfgang Kindl and Eggert/Benecken win BMW Sprint World Cup

 Lake Placid (RWH) Dajana Eitberger from Germany, Austria’s World Champion Wolfgang Kindl, and the doubles duo Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken have claimed victory in the luge’s BMW Sprint World Cup. Eitberger, the former European Champion, celebrated her first win of the season at the artificial ice track on Mount Van Hoevenberg, as did Wolfgang Kindl. Eggert/Benecken secured victory in the BMW Sprint World Cup for the first time in this Olympic winter.

 Dajana Eitberger relegated Canadian Alex Gough to second place. Olympic gold medallist Natalie Geisenberger, who had earlier won the women’s race in the Olympic discipline, came third. As a result, the 29-year-old retains her lead in the Viessmann World Cup with 610 points. Second is Tatjana Hüfner, who finished fourth in the BMW Sprint and now has 515 points. Alex Gough is third on 453 points ahead of the Christmas break.

 In the men’s event, Wolfgang Kindl underlined his improving form by finishing ahead of Germany’s Johannes Ludwig in second and Taylor Morris of the USA in third. Olympic Champion Felix Loch finished tenth, but retains his overall lead in the Viessmann World Cup with 537 points. Current World Champion Kindl is second on 429 points, ahead of the Russians Semen Pavlichenko (411) and defending champion Roman Repilov (349).

 In the doubles, the Austrian pairing of Peter Penz/Georg Fischler finished second behind World Champions Toni Eggert/Sascha Benecken for the fourth consecutive race. The Latvian duo of Andris Sics/Juris Sics, who took Olympic silver in 2010 and bronze in 2014, secured third. Eggert/Benecken have a commanding lead in the World Cup standings with 685 points. Second place is currently occupied by the Olympic Champions Tobias Wendl/Tobias Arlt (467), with Penz/Fischler (416) in third.

 The Viessmann World Cup will now take a break over Christmas. The lugers will be back in action at the sixth round of the Olympic season on the artificial ice track in Königssee (GER) from 5-6 January 2018.